- Microsoft releases Windows 11 build 22616 in the Dev and Beta Channels.
- This flight brings fixes and changes, but you won’t find new features.
- The company recommends switching from the Dev to Beta Channel as the new version is almost finalized.
Microsoft is now rolling out Windows 11 build 22616 for devices enrolled in the Dev and Beta Channels of the Windows Insider Program. This is an important release with several changes and improvements, but no new features.
According to the official changelogs, Windows 11 build 22616 brings the internet and Microsoft account requirements for the Pro edition while setting an installation for the first time. If you choose to set up a device for Work or School, there is no change, and it will work the same way as before.
Microsoft is reverting some changes for the system tray available in previous builds. For example, the “Show hidden icons” flyout will now function the same way it did with the original release of Windows 11, including the ability to rearrange icons in the flyout.
Also, this flight introduces several fixes for the Taskbar, input, Widgets, Settings, Task Manager, and more.
Since build 22616 is an almost finalized version of Windows 11 22H2, Microsoft is now recommending Insiders switch their devices from the Dev to the Beta Channel to prevent installing builds for the next version of Windows.
If you want to switch channels without reinstallation, open Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program, select the “Choose your Insider builds” setting and choose the “Beta Channel” option.
Windows 11 build 22616 fixes
There are the fixes that Microsoft is addressing in the latest preview of Windows 11 22H2:
Taskbar
- Fixed the issue causing the “Show hidden icons” flyout in the system tray to disappear completely for some Insiders, even though it shows as “on” under Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and “Other system tray icons”.
Input
- Fixed an issue that was leading to some apps crashing when pressing the half-width/full-width key while using the Japanese IME.
Widgets
- Fixed an issue where if you tried to open the widgets board using a gesture from the side of the screen, you would see the widgets board open and then immediately close.
- Fixed an issue where users were unable to use the swipe functionality to reliably invoke Widgets.
Settings
- Fixed an issue that could cause Quick Settings to crash when projecting to certain wireless devices.
Windowing
- Addressed an issue where using the 3-finger on-screen touch gesture for minimizing could cause animations to stop working across the system.
- Fixed an issue impacting DWM reliability in recent flights.
- Fixed an issue that was causing some apps like Settings to open blank if they were re-opened an upgrade or reboot.
Task Manager
- Fixed an issue that was causing the process list to fluctuate between Apps & Background groups when clicking on Efficiency mode from the command bar
Windows Sandbox
- Fixed an underlying issue that could cause some text in Windows Sandbox to appear as black boxes in certain cases.
Other fixes
- Fixed an issue leading to Windows Update notifications showing they were sent from “Windows.SystemToast.WindowsUpdate.MoNotification” instead of “Windows Update”.
- Fixed an issue where performance and reliability of explorer.exe could degrade over time, eventually resulting in a bugcheck, in the recent Insider Preview builds.
In addition to the fixes, the company also highlights only two known issues with the Live Captions feature.
Install Windows 11 build 22616
If you want to download and install the Windows 11 build 22616, you need to enroll your device in the Beta Channel or Dev Channel using the “Windows Insider Program” settings from the “Update & Security” section.
Once you enroll the computer in the program, you can download build 22616 from the “Windows Update” settings by clicking the Check for Updates button. However, you will need a device that meets the minimum system requirements to receive the update if you are new to the Windows Insider Program.
